King Xerxes I of Persia led the Persian army of about 100,000 men and more than 1,000 warships. He advanced westward along Thrace and was met by 7,000 Greek troops led by King Leonidas of Sparta at Thermopylae. Leonidas commanded the inferior army and stubbornly stopped the advance of the Persian army in the narrow passage. After the Persian army suffered heavy casualties, Xerxes I commanded the army from the trail to the back of the Greek coalition army. On August 11, 480 BC, Leonidas was forced to retreat most of the coalition army under the circumstances of the enemy. He led 300 Spartan warriors to resist desperately, and finally all died. The Persian army suffered nearly 30,000 casualties in the battle of Thermopylae, while the Greeks died nearly 4,000.

Leonidas and the 300 Spartans

On the same day, the Battle of Atimian broke out. The 333 warships of the Greek coalition defeated 500 warships of Persia, but the main force of the Persian fleet was not hit and still had an absolute advantage.